Get New Life Out of Old Outlet Covers

Let’s consider for a minute how expensive it can be to replace all of the outlet covers in your entire house.

A lot, right? I’m making updates to the outlet covers in the bedrooms of our house as part of a refreshening effort. In my home, all of the outlet covers (and switch covers, and trim too) had been painted over with a paint sprayer. And not just once, but numerous times over numerous decades so that they were basically one with the painted surface of the wall. Removing them was one thing (it had to be done with an utility knife to avoid doing wall damage), but once I got started, I found that the plates themselves were actually really quality product. Stainless steel, and a heavier steel than I was used to encountering at that.

Instead of ditching them all and spending approximately $60 (for modest covers, not ornate ones with detail), I decided to clean them up and refinish them myself. They turned out so great, I hope it’s an effort worth your time too.

Step 1

Open GalleryRemove all wall plates. If the seams are coated by layers and layers of paint (like mine), use a utility knife to score the existing paint for easy removal.

Step 2

Open GalleryRemove that existing paint. For me, it was as easy as coating the plates with a paint remover and letting them sit for about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Open GalleryAllow the paint to begin to bubble up. If you are removing multiple coats, it may take longer, and you may need to clean and reapply the stripping agent to attack the lower coats.

Step 4

Open GalleryScrape clean the loosened paint. A plastic razor blade is best for this, as it can cut into the loose paint without scratching the underlying metal cover. Run it under some water to help remove any remnants, and finally, if any remains after it dries, use a fine grade sandpaper to remove any residual paint.

Step 5

Open GalleryLay the plates out on a clean surface. Depending on what you found underneath (in our case, slightly scratched but heavy metal plates) you may decide to re-paint the plates.

I chose a white gloss spray paint with paint and primer in one.

Step 6

Open GalleryApply light coats, allowing the surface to dry completely between coats.

Step 7

Open GalleryVoila! Perfectly acceptable, like-new outlet covers. If your screws were discolored like mine were, spray a little paint onto a plastic plate and use a paint brush to lightly paint them (this way you can achieve a spray-painted effect without spraying your own hand).